A troubling situation has left residents in Bonnevoie both shocked and concerned: since the start of the year, around 90 birds have been found either motionless or lying on the ground, unable to fly. All of them displayed signs of poisoning.
The wildlife care centre promptly sent the carcasses to a veterinary lab for analysis, and the suspicion was confirmed: the birds had been poisoned with Alpha-Chloralose, a toxic substance commonly used in rat poison. Further test results from additional laboratories are pending, while authorities have issued a warning that pets, particularly dogs and cats, could also be at risk from this substance.
Although no pets have been reported sick or harmed so far, they could be easily drawn to the poison, just like the pigeons and doves.
Many of the affected birds were not immediately dead – they were dying slowly. For this reason, the wildlife rescue team urges anyone who finds such animals to bring them to Dudelange or a vet as quickly as possible.
If the birds are still alive, careful examination and treatment is undertaken. Louis Kox from the wildlife team has noticed that the birds are taking longer to recover than usual, raising concerns that the poison’s dosage may have been altered or intensified.
Bonnevoie residents are deeply alarmed. They report that this kind of incident has never occurred before and are now questioning who could be responsible for laying down the poison.
Their unease is understandable, especially since the affected area – fields between Kaltreis and the Bonnevoie secondaty school – is near recreational spaces where children frequently play. While the presence of poison has been confirmed, what remains unclear is how authorities will respond.
Locals claim the problem began weeks ago. Every day, more and more dead or dying birds were found in the area. They have been taking them to the care centre in Dudelange but regret that, so far, no official measures seem to have been taken to address the issue.
The question of who is behind this poisoning remains open. The organisation Give Us A Voice is determined to uncover the truth and plans to file an official complaint against unknown perpetrators.
The Nature Administration has already visited the site but declined to allow filming. The Administration of Veterinary Services has refused to comment, awaiting further test results.
We will continue to follow developments and provide updates on Monday.
